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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26965717">it’s unfair</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/signormythomagic/pseuds/signormythomagic'>signormythomagic</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nico is a good boyfriend, Will Solace POV, angsty will, introspective</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:14:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,449</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26965717</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/signormythomagic/pseuds/signormythomagic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Oof,” Nico said, though it was less of a word and more of a reaction. He tilted his head up to meet Will’s gaze, but this close, all that the movement did was bring their faces so near to the other that their noses brushed and Nico went cross eyed. “Umm. Hi.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey.” Will replied.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nico di Angelo/Will Solace</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>125</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>it’s unfair</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn’t difficult to set the bone. It had been a clean break. Took him maybe ten seconds, all in all, including the time it took for the ambrosia to heal the injury. But hours after the procedure, Will’s ears were still ringing with that poor little girl’s screams of anguish.</p><p> </p><p>The girl’s name was Lindsey, he’d learned. She slept peacefully now, curled up on the small infirmary cot, clutching the teddy bear she’d came into camp with. Will guessed she was probably around nine years old, not much more. Her older sister had half dragged her into the safety of the barrier, yelling for help and sobbing hysterically about a creature eating the goat man. Fortunately, a few campers had heard the commotion and come running to fetch Will. He’d had to do everything at the site. Moving Lindsay would’ve done more harm than good. Her right femur had snapped clean in two, the skin pulled tight over the bulging bone.</p><p> </p><p>Bella, the older girl, had been bleeding profusely from a head wound, but she wouldn’t let Will treat her until he’d taken care of her sister. By the time everything was done, everyone from the two girls to Will and a few other healers was stained with her blood. It took some persuasion, but after they’d gotten the girls cleaned up and settled into the infirmary, Will finally managed to learn what happened.  </p><p> </p><p>A gryphon had attacked them while they were following a satyr named Nelson to camp. He’d rescued them from a Khampe some days earlier, but the gryphon proved to be more than his match. It had killed him and rounded on the girls, swiping its talons across Bella’s face. It went for her sister next, grabbing her by the shoulders. On the ground,  Bella scrambled to get up and by a stroke of luck, she found a few rocks. Without hesitation, she grabbed a few of the biggest and threw them at the creature as it started to fly away. Fortunately, one of the rocks hit the creature square in the head and caused it to fumble in the air, dropping  Lindsey as it struggled to regain equilibrium. Unfortunately, the fall was high enough that the landing broke her leg. Bella said she wasted no time taking Lindsay in her arms and struggling up the hill. The gryphon didn’t follow them. Her story was confirmed a few hours later after a couple Ares kids searched the woods and found Nelson’s remains.</p><p> </p><p>Will silently watched the girls now as he cut new bandages, heartbroken and angry. He knew that life as a demigod was dangerous, but it didn’t make it any easier to stomach the gory reality. This day would be imprinted in those girls memories for the rest of their lives. Their wounds would heal, but their minds? Not even the gods knew that.</p><p> </p><p>Will sighed, it would do no good to worry about the future, and focused on his work. He put down the finished bandages sometime later, leaving the girls by themselves. Nico was waiting for him in the infirmary’s office, flipping through one of the random medical textbooks Will kept in case of emergencies.</p><p> </p><p>He rapped his knuckles against the door facing by way of greeting, causing Nico to look up. “You’re in my chair.”</p><p> </p><p>Nico sat back and crossed his arms over his chest, smirking. “You gonna come take me out of it?”</p><p> </p><p>“Nah, I’ve got a better idea.” Will said, and before Nico could do anything about it Will made a few quick strides across the room and plopped himself down sideways onto Nico’s lap.</p><p> </p><p>“Oof,” Nico said, though it was less of a word and more of a reaction. He tilted his head up to meet Will’s gaze, but this close, all that the movement did was bring their faces so near to the other that their noses brushed and Nico went cross eyed. “Umm. Hi.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey.” Will replied. “What are you doing in here? Not that I mind, of course, but I thought it was your turn to train the newbies today.”</p><p> </p><p>“It was. And I did.” Nico looked at him like he’d grown two heads. “It’s five in the afternoon, Will.”</p><p> </p><p>“Really?”</p><p> </p><p>Nico pointed at the clock and sure enough, he was right. “Oh.”</p><p> </p><p>Nico leaned back, studying him seriously now. “I heard what happened. Came to check on you. Is everything alright?”</p><p> </p><p>“With the girls?” Will shrugged, feigning nonchalance, “I patched them up. They’ll be fine.”</p><p> </p><p>Nico stared at him.</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Will asked, “You don’t trust my skills?”</p><p> </p><p>Nico shook his head, rolling his eyes before leveling him with a look of concern. “I meant <em>you.” </em>He jabbed a finger into Will’s chest, continuing softly, “I know how you get when little kids get hurt.”</p><p> </p><p>All of Will’s bravado deflated after looking into Nico’s calm expression. And for the first time that day, he let it show just how upset he was over the entire situation. With Nico, he could let his guard down. He didn’t have to be Head Healer or Camp Councilor. He could just be himself.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey,” Nico put a hand up to Will’s face, his thumb caressing his cheek, “They’ll get through it. They always do, even though they shouldn’t have to.”</p><p> </p><p>His tone was so soft and so gentle that Will nearly melted. He leaned into the touch, sighing, “I know. I just hate it for them, you know? I wish I could do more than fix the physical. It makes me feel so useless. Disappointing.”</p><p> </p><p>“There’s only so much you can do, Will. And <em>no one</em> expects you to go around healing all the mental issues of every traumatized kid that walks into camp. You already go above and beyond for everyone here. Myself included. You aren’t disappointing to anybody.”</p><p> </p><p>Will found nothing but fierce, burning sincerity in Nico’s gaze. So much so that he nearly believed him. “If you say so.”</p><p> </p><p>“I do.” Nico said, matter-of-factly. “Now, can you get out of my lap? My legs are numb.”</p><p> </p><p>Will pretended to be offended. “Am I too heavy for you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.” He said that with complete sincerity as well, and Will couldn’t help but laugh, though he did get up, pulling Nico with him.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey,” Will laced their fingers together, “thanks.”</p><p> </p><p>Nico squeezed his hand. “You’re welcome. I meant every word, you know. Don’t think that just because I’m your boyfriend I have to tell you nice things.”</p><p> </p><p>Will cocked his head to the side, “Oh? I’m pretty sure that’s in the job description.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re a dork,” Nico scoffed, but he went on his tiptoes and gave him a kiss. His lips were slightly chapped, and Will would tell him to drink more water later, but right in that moment he was willing to shut up forever if it meant Nico wouldn’t pull away. But he did, eventually, shyly looking away from Will’s face as he rocked back on his heels.</p><p> </p><p>Kissing was still a new development for the two of them, one that Will never initiated because he didn’t want to step over any of Nico’s boundaries. And truly, he was thrilled with anything he was given. It still baffled Will that he was even allowed to touch Nico so casually in the first place. He was sort of closed off with everyone except for his sister, and Will only knew that much from the moments he’d witnessed between them in the short time after the war when the Romans were still at camp. Will counted his blessings that he’d become another person that Nico was as comfortable with.</p><p> </p><p>“Anyway,” Nico said after a while, probably a little weirded out by the goofy smile Will was most likely wearing, “I’ve got to go get everything prepared for tonight. There’s going to be a funeral for Nelson. Do you want to ask the girls if they’ll go?”</p><p> </p><p>Will’s smile fell. Back to business. “I’ll ask, but Lindsay, the younger one, is still asleep. I don’t know if Bella will want to leave her side.”</p><p> </p><p>Nico nodded solemnly. “Understandable. But I’ll see you right?”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course.”</p><p> </p><p>“Great,” Nico frowned, “I didn’t know the guy, but he gave his life to save those girls. He deserves a good send off.”</p><p> </p><p>“He’ll get one.” Will promised, even though it really didn’t have anything to do with him. He walked with Nico until they were outside on the veranda. “See you later.” He told Nico and leaned against the outside of the building, watching him walk away.</p><p> </p><p>He wanted to follow him. Nico’s presence was a comfort. But they both had their own responsibilities to keep. Sighing, he turned and went back inside.</p><p> </p>
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